Communications Decency Act § 230 (1996)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (47 U.S.C. § 230)

2) Why It Was Done
Enacted as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, § 230 was designed to promote the growth of the internet by shielding online platforms from liability for most user-generated content while allowing them to moderate harmful material in “good faith.”

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before § 230, online platforms risked being treated as publishers and held liable for user posts. This threatened free expression and innovation online. The law built on First Amendment free speech protections but gave platforms explicit legal immunity.